Updated February 13, 2024
Our new catalog system is live and ready for patrons to browse and check out materials! We appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we work through some final system settings following the data migration last week.
Here are a few updates related to the change in systems:
PIN Reset
On February 8, all patron accounts had their PIN/password reset to the last four digits of the phone number associated with their account. This reset would affect all library digital services including Libby. If you're experiencing issues logging into your account, please try using the last four digits of your primary phone number. If you are still unable to log into your account, please contact your local library for password reset assistance.
Libby Access
In accordance with the Berks County Public Libraries Borrowing Policy, only patrons who live, work, or go to school in Berks County will have access to digital library services. In 2019, the Borrowing Policy was updated to provide statewide access to traditional, physical library collections (books, DVDs, etc.) but special collections and digital services would be limited to those with a full-access card. The recent change in catalog systems will restrict access if you are a library patron who currently resides outside of Berks County and does not attend school or work within the county line.
You can view our infographic regarding the limited-service and full-access library cards.
Please contact your library if you are entitled to a full-service library card and are experiencing issues accessing the digital library collection.
Hold Cancellations
Some patrons may find some hold requests placed before February 5 were cancelled from their account. You can view your current list of active and cancelled holds by following these steps:
- Log into your library account from berks.sparkpa.org by selecting the My Account option at the top of the screen.
- Once logged in, locate the grey box on the left side of the screen.
- The Holds snapshot will tell you how many active holds and ready holds are on your account.
- Click on the Holds line and select Holds History from the available options to view previous holds from your account.
- If you notice an item listed here as Cancelled when it should be active, you can click on the title name to re-place a hold or contact your library for assistance.
Reading History Update
During the migration, past patron reading histories could not be transferred to the new system. All patrons will have this feature automatically turned on in their accounts for items borrowed after February 8. You can view and edit your reading history settings by following the steps outlined below.
- Log into your library account from berks.sparkpa.org by selecting the My Account option at the top of the screen.
- Once logged in, locate the grey box on the left side of the screen.
- Click on the Preferences line and select Search & History from the available options.
- There will be two checkboxes selected: Keep history of checked out items and keep history of holds.
- Uncheck the Keep history of checked out items to turn off your reading history. Uncheck Keep history of holds to turn off your holds history.
- Click the blue Save button at the bottom of the screen to confirm your choices.
Any items that have been borrowed from the new catalog system before making this change will still be on your reading history. Due to the robust privacy policy associated with our new catalog system, only you can view your reading history when logged into your account. Library staff will not be able to access this history for you.
To remove any items currently in your reading history:
- Log into your library account from berks.sparkpa.org by selecting the My Account option at the top of the screen.
- Once logged in, locate the grey box on the left side of the screen.
- Click on the Items Checked Out line and select Check Out History from the available options. Here you will see your reading history from February 8.
- You can either selectively remove titles from your reading history or select the checkbox next to the Cover column to select all items.
- Click the Delete Selected option shown above your reading history to permanently delete items.
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Updated January 8, 2024
The library catalog migration will occur in just a few weeks. Here are some important details on what to expect following the transition on February 8, 2024. Please view our Timeline page for additional details leading up to the migration.
Important Update Regarding Reading History
Patron reading history will not carry over to our new system. If this is a feature you currently use and would like to save your reading history before the catalog freeze on February 5, please visit our Reading History page for specific instructions or contact your library for assistance.
PIN Reset
Please note that all cardholder PINs will be reset on February 8 when the new system goes live. Users with a phone number associated with their account will use the last four digits of their primary phone number.
Example: 610-123-4567 would have a PIN of 4567.
Please refer to the migration timeline for information on using the library during the migration